Hilton Honors Diamond vs. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum: the challenge of TOP statuses
I have never hidden my preference for the Hilton hotel chain over Marriott in the challenge between the level [...]
Marriott
I have never hidden my preference for the Hilton hotel chain over Marriott, In the challenge between Hilton Honors' Gold level and Marriott Bonvoy's Gold level, the former wins hands down. But if we go up a step, who treats the top tiers better?
The basics, how to get these levels
In this article:
Since we are at the end of 2022, and from next year both HHonors and Bonvoy will return to pre-pandemic requirements, in this article I already discuss the challenge with the requirements for 2023.
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
To obtain this level you need to stay a minimum of 50 nights in Marriott chain hotels in Italy and the rest of the world. You are spoiled for choice: there are as many as 30 different brands, from low-cost to extra-luxury, with a total of more than 8,000 facilities.
Barring special promotions (In early 2022, for example, Marriott launched a promo that gave away double qualifying nights per stay), there are no easy paths to get this level and there are no "free nights" for Italian users, since the Bonvoy program does not even provide rollover nights.
PS Bonvoy above Platinum still has Titanium and Ambassador, but these two additional levels are not present in the Hilton program. This also affects the value of status, which, not being the highest, must be taken into account when evaluating the weight of one card over the other.
Hilton Honors Diamond
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To get to the last step of the Hilton Honors loyalty program. you have 3 possible paths to take: spend 60 nights, make 30 stays or accumulate 120,000 base points.
Having three choices makes the road to the top level easier, although in truth the qualifying points route is a fairly useless one, and the nights or stays route is definitely easier. HHonors also has a second advantage. Extra qualifying nights are rollover, that is, once the number of nights required to obtain or renew status has been reached, the extra ones are not lost as with Marriott, but carried over into the following year.
The winner of this challenge is Hilton. On balance with "only" 30 one-night stays get the highest Hilton loyalty program card. In contrast in Marriott, where only nights count, you need 20 more nights-a very big difference. However, this also means that there are more people with status and therefore the Diamond has less exclusivity than the Platinum Elite
N.B. In the U.S., U.K. and a few other markets. there are co-branded credit cards between hotel chains and banks that allow status or several free nights each year in the status race. This allows a great many users to have status without staying or with very few stays.
Who has the best benefits
Loyalty to a chain is rewarded with benefits, these are the reasons why a customer often decides to stay in hotels of the same "family." These benefits, however, can be significantly different between one chain and another. In this analysis I will compare individual benefits: points accumulation, free breakfast, late check-out, room upgrades, and lounge access.
Marriott Bonvoy offers a reward to the user who reaches the Platinum level, something Hilton does not offer: i Choice Benefit. The user has the option of choosing an extra gift, in addition, of course, to the benefits provided for the level.
Accumulation of points
Moving up a level means you can accumulate more bonus points than you do with the lower level, and in general-when spending is equal-who allows you to get more points net of special rates and spot promotional campaigns?
Users who have the level Hilton Honors Diamond get a bonus of 100% vs. to the accumulated basic points, on the contrary those who stay with the card Marriott Bonvoy Platinum receives only the 50% of extra points. In addition to this, HHonors allows users to accumulate a bonus of points, which varies depending on the hotel sign: from a minimum of 500 to 1,000 points per stay. Marriott also allows its members to get an extra bonus of the same amount, but by sacrificing breakfast. This means that if in hotels where there is no lounge you choose the extra points, you will not be entitled to free breakfast.
So with a stay costing 100$ in a Hilton hotel as a minimum you will get, in addition to the base points and any bonuses, 1000 extra status-related points and 1000 points as an additional bonus. The same stay in a Marriott hotel allows you to accumulate, in addition to the base points, 500 status-related Bonvoy points and 1000 bonus points, if you do not choose the free breakfast.
As you can see, Hilton Honors is much more generous in terms of points accumulation, even net of additional promotions, but to put a value on the points you have to compare the cost of award nights, which are very similar, Marriott has a slight advantage in terms of points required to stay for free. In any case, I believe that again the win in this challenge go to the Hilton Honors program.
Free breakfast
Breakfast, especially away from the States, is an important asset when choosing a hotel from these chains. Having free breakfast saves a minimum of 15 to 20€ per night and starts the day off on the right foot.
Both levels promise free breakfast, but with noticeable differences.
Hilton's rules are simple and clear: "Complimentary daily breakfast is available as a member benefit (at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Tapestry Collection by Hilton) or as an included service, excluding Hilton Grand Vacations."
There is only one small remark, "continental breakfast" is always specified, which could be translated as bread, jam, croissants and coffee. In fact, however, all over the world, North America excluded, people will be able to gorge on a lavish buffet.
In the U.S., the free breakfast has been replaced by a voucher to spend at the hotel, a credit that does NOT cover the cost of breakfast and, in my opinion, is good enough just to cover some expenses at the hotel bar.
Free breakfast at Marriott hotels depends on the sign where you stay, and it can be very complicated to figure out what you are entitled to and what you are not. Then it also depends on where you are, there are different rules and regulations depending on the place and the hotel chain. It also depends on whether you are staying in a resort facility or a nonresort facility.
As a general rule, you receive breakfast if you have access to the club lounge. If you choose breakfast as a welcome gift, but in this case you will not receive bonus points as explained above. Typically, breakfast is provided at Aloft, Autograph Collection Resorts, Delta Resorts, Four Points by Sheraton, JW Marriott Resorts, Le Meridien, Marriott Resorts, Protea, Renaissance Resorts, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Westin, W. No free breakfast, however, at Ritz Carlton hotels, which is why I usually avoid this chain unless I have the option of booking through Fine Hotesl & Resorts.
Again Hilton wins the challenge. There is nothing to know, no gabs, small standards. Breakfast is free.
Late check out
It doesn't matter if you travel a little or a lot, having the ability to enter the room earlier than the scheduled time and especially leave it later is a huge advantage. Late check-out allows you to experience the last day of your vacation stress-free and without having to worry about where to leave the suitcases, where to shower before leaving, or simply where to enjoy the last few hours of relaxation before leaving.
Here it is simple: Hilton Honors does not provide anything guaranteed to its guests, this means that it is all "subject to availability" at check-in or during the stay. In my own experience, I've been known to ask for courtesy, but I've never arrived at 4 p.m., say 2 p.m. at the latest.
In Marriott hotels Instead, there is no need to ask for anything: the Late check-out at 4:00 pm is an automatic and guaranteed benefit. The only exception is at resorts, where it is subject to availability. You don't have to be shy; it's one of the advantages that drives me, on my own, to try to retrain for next year.
The victory of this benefit is all Marriott's.
Room Upgrade
On room upgrade I dedicated an ad hoc article.
Hilton implemented its "Global Automated Upgrades" to automatically upgrade Hilton members 72 hours in advance before check-in. However, individual hotels can opt out of this program and target To sell upgrades in exchange for cash. It is good to remember that when checking in, it depends on the vacant rooms, incoming guests and status. First Lifetime Diamond, then Diamond and finally Gold.
It is also interesting to note that award stays have the highest priority for room upgrades compared to status. However, users who are not Diamond/Lifetime Diamond are excluded from in-suite upgrades. Last but not least, Again, it depends a lot on where you are. In Italy, Diamond status is not given away by anyone; in the U.S. it is full of users who have obtained the card through credit card benefits.
If Hilton doesn't make it easy, the situation in Marriott is in pure or almost pure anarachia. Certainly status helps, but upgrades are at the discretion of the individual property. It certainly affects the fact that achieving Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status requires more effort than Hilton Honors Diamond, but again, credit cards for U.S. users distort the competition. Just like Hilton, some group brands such as EDITION and Design hotels may not offer free upgrades.
Also, it is unclear whether Titanium and Ambassador Elite have priority over Platinum Elite for upgrades, with the exception of The Ritz-Carlton properties. However, asking nicely via the chat function in the Marriott Bonvoy app can help improve the chances of being upgraded to a better room, even to larger suites than standard suites. Not to mention that you have SNAs, which is the ability to request guaranteed upgrades from the hotel.
The victory here is more to the intentions and I have to give it to Marriott, which at least tries to be, in its anarchy, a tad more transparent.
Executive Lounge
Both chains offer elite owners access to lounges when present. These lounges, as we have had the opportunity to report In our hotel reviews, are perfect for saving money, making the stay more comfortable and most importantly, in the case of Marriott, giving away breakfast and bonus points.
The challenge then ends in a tie.
And the winner is....
There is no winner by detachment as there is for the Gold level. Here the battle is about details, and much also depends on the type of traveler. Hilton gives more points and breakfast always. Marriott responds with guaranteed upgrades and especially late check-out at 4 p.m. To quote the Juventus coach, "he wins by a short nose, but he wins," again Hilton Honors. The motivation also stems from the greater ease one has of obtaining the Diamond level, compared to the Marriott card, which requires many more nights and especially is not the highest tier, but only the 3rd of 5.
Do you feel the same way? Do you have different ideas? Write it in the comments and let's talk about it.
